Cryonics postmortems

So far, only three postmortem, post cryopreservation examinations of cryonics patients have been carried out, all three in the 1980's. Some of the data was lost and most of the images are low quality due to being scanned from black-and-white publications. Medical examination provides a chance to examine the damage caused by cryonic preservation to patients on both the macroscale. They also provide the only opportunity to safely remove tissue for histological examinations, due to the fact that extracting tissue from a patient in Liquid Nitrogen could cause severe fracturing and damage from thermal stress, especially if one wishes to extract tissue near the brain or from it.

James Bedford

Source: Evaluation of the Condition of Dr. James H. Bedford After 24 Years of Cryonic Suspension.

1. Dewar
   1. The dewar had been built in mid 1970 and was failing.
   2. The patient's refilled the dewar regularly for 21 years, preventing the patient from experiencing any significant warming. The presence of water ice, still in the form of cubes, confirms this.
2. Body
   1. The patient did not have any visible surface fracture events.
   2. Head
      1. The head is turned to the left and two puncture marks ~1cm apart are visible on the anteriomedial aspect of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (Site of injection of the solution).
      2. A frozen, bloody exudade is visible around the mouth and nose, consistent with the presence of a respirator mask and improper chest compressions.
      3. A larger quantity of darker blood appears to have flowed from the mouth during dry ice freezing, as it retains the folds of the wrapping used to cover the patient.
      4. The eyes are partially open and the corneas are white due to ice. The nostrils were flattened, presumably compressed by the weight of dry ice.
      5. The had was fringed with short gray hair.
      6. There were remains of aluminized mylar on the occiput.
   3. Neck
      1. The skin of the left side of the neck is distended with the injection of a fluid bolus into the subcutaneous space.
      2. Examination of the left side of the neck was made impossible by the position of the head.
   4. Limbs
      1. Arms
         1. The skin of the right forearm appeared erythematous and discolored.
      2. Legs
         1. The legs are crossed, with the right foot over the left.
   5. Torso
      1. The skin from the mandible to ~2cm above the areolas appeared erythematous and discolored.
   6. Abdomen
      1. The skin was erythematous.

The general discoloration is probably a product of the injection of pure or highly concentrated DMSO.

Ray Mills

Source: Postmortem Examination of Three Cryonic Suspension Patients.

1. Dewar
2. Body
   1. Head
   2. Neck
   3. Limbs
      1. Arms
      2. Legs
   4. Torso
   5. Abdomen

Katherine Mills

Source: Postmortem Examination of Three Cryonic Suspension Patients.

1. Dewar
2. Body
   1. Head
   2. Neck
   3. Limbs
      1. Arms
      2. Legs
   4. Torso
   5. Abdomen

Janice Foote

Sources: Postmortem Examination of Three Cryonic Suspension Patients and Histological Study of a Temporarily Cryopreserved Human.

1. Dewar
   1. The patient had been stored in the Andonian Dewar.
   2. The patient had been stored in an aluminium cassette lined with open-cell urethane foam as insulation.
   3. An overhead crane removed the cassette and placed it on the ground with the patient on a supine position.
2. Body
   1. Head
   2. Neck
   3. Limbs
      1. Arms
      2. Legs
   4. Torso
   5. Abdomen